Queensland

Clive Palmer’s Waratah Coal has abandoned a challenge to a ruling that ended its plan for a coalmine in central Queensland on the grounds that the project would contribute to “foreseeable and preventable life terminating harm”.

The widow of mining executive Ken Talbot has lost a case alleging law firms Arnold Bloch Leibler and Boyd Legal mishandled her late husband’s estate after a judge found she had a “stated intention to destroy” the estate lawyer.

Two home finance companies and their father-son directors have been hit with $150,000 in penalties after a judge found they failed to cooperate with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority in an ASIC enforcement action and subjected AFCA staff to “inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour.”

AUSTRAC has filed Federal Court action against Star Entertainment, alleging “widespread and serious non-compliance” with anti-money laundering laws.

A court has rejected the plans of a Clive Palmer-owned mining company to dig a coalmine in central Queensland, finding the mine would infringe on the human rights of First Nations people and future generations of Queenslanders, and contribute to “foreseeable and preventable life terminating harm”.

A judge has approved a $1 million penalty against Queensland crane company NQ Cranes for engaging in a conspiracy with a multinational rival to divide the Brisbane and Newcastle markets.

A group of Lloyd’s underwriters are off the hook for financial services company EP Financial Services’ costs in an lawsuit over allegedly negligent financial advice, after an appeals court found the exclusions under the policy were valid.

A judge has thrown out proceedings brought by mining magnate Clive Palmer in which he alleged an abuse of process by prosecutors and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, finding that Palmer’s suits were themselves a “misuse of proceedings.”

A Queensland silk who was subjected to comments by the late Judge Guy Andrew that an appeals court later deemed cruel and humiliating has been barred from practice after allegedly appearing in court without a practising certificate.

A prominent criminal lawyer has been charged with supplying millions of dollars in criminal proceeds as part of a $4.5 million money laundering scheme.